11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

Massachusetts lawmakers are paid to be full-time legislators. So why do so many have second jobs and side hustles? » Boston Globe

Database: Did your lawmaker have a second job on top of legislating? Look it up here. » Boston Globe

'Culture has to change': DOJ officials hear from residents on Worcester police report » Worcester Telegram

Mass General Brigham is $2 billion richer, financials show » Boston Globe

Billerica Rep. Marc Lombardo mounts campaign for top Republican post in Mass. House » Boston Herald

Cities and towns face end-of-year zoning deadline to fall in line on Mass. housing law » WGBH

Boston city councilor calls for Mayor Wu to cancel White Stadium plan after taxpayer tab balloons » Boston Herald

Local orgs rally support for legislative audit, threaten lawsuit » WGBH

Boston City Councilor Fernandes Anderson has a trail of troubled finances » WBUR

Where does MCAS ballot question leave the high school grad requirement? It’s far from clear » Commonwealth Beacon

A key Trump ally on immigration explains how mass deportations could work » Boston Globe

Trump Might Eliminate the EV Tax Credit. What to Know » CNET News

Could Trump’s return derail the US offshore wind boom? » Boston Globe

Government shutdown nears after Trump and Musk kill compromise » Washington Post

AOC Snub Shows How Democrats Refuse to Learn Lessons of 2024 » Vanity Fair

Pressley, Markey demand resources for victims of police brutality » The Hill

Ireland elects a maverick ex-trucker as speaker » Politico Florida

Montana’s top court delivers rare victory for climate activists » Washington Post

In rare move, Republican senators call for Hegseth’s FBI report » Politico

California Declares an Emergency Over Bird Flu in Cattle » New York Times

Teamsters say Amazon workers will strike at multiple facilities as union seeks labor contract » Boston Globe

Trump allies suggest Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker should be sued for calling Trump a ‘rapist’ » Politico

Battenfeld: Defeated Democrats’ latest pointless pursuit: Eliminating Electoral College » Boston Herald

Lowry: Trump puts Iran, Hamas on notice » Boston Herald

Shell shock: Crisis for local clam industry » Boston Globe

Fed reduces benchmark rate by a quarter point, but signals fewer cuts in 2025 » Boston Globe

Challenges Persist for the Business Community as 2025 Begins » Business West

Cannabis commission selects new executive director—again » Boston Business Journal

'People feel blindsided.' Pittsfield School Committee members expect updates to high school investigations at meeting » Berkshire Eagle

Lawsuit by Pittsfield High student details alleged sexual harassment by English teacher who retired in June » Berkshire Eagle

MIT to start demolishing Kendall Square’s Volpe buildings in early 2025 » Boston Business Journal

School Committee could make another change to BPS exam schools admissions policy » Boston Globe

Massachusetts college leaders urged to protect free speech ahead of Trump: ‘Resist this new McCarthyism’ » Boston Herald

Number of Black students at Harvard Law drops by over half after SCOTUS ruling » MassLive

Tracing slavery’s stain: UMass’ Slavery North initiative exploring region’s ties from new campus home » Gazette Net

Emotions poured out as educators, parents and leaders addressed the School Committee on the crisis facing Pittsfield High » Berkshire Eagle

MIT paid $1.3 million for a landscape artwork by Maya Lin. Then it forgot to tell anyone. » Boston Globe

Harvard Law enrollment plummets for Black and Hispanic students » Axios

State allows West Springfield to move a step closer to merging elementary schools » MassLive

Will a federal call for fast-fashion climate action ring hollow in the Trump era? » Boston Globe

Climate Matters: Banking on green jobs » MassLive

Biden pledges to cut US greenhouse gases by more than 60 percent as he exits world stage » Boston Globe

Two right whales entangled off Massachusetts coast » Axios

Vertex’s non-opioid painkiller meets trial goal — but investors aren’t sold » Boston Business Journal

MGB's full-year financial loss widens in 2024 » Boston Business Journal

Another slow month for Greater Boston’s frozen housing market, but home prices tick ever upward » Boston Globe

New plan for Joint Base Cape Cod could put housing on 'surplus' land » WCAI

Framingham won't meet deadline to comply with MBTA Communities law. What's next » The Metro West Daily News

Incentive program brings more housing to Southeastern Massachusetts » WPRI.com

Grants to boost beds, services for homeless during winter months » Gazette Net

2024 in Politics: Migrant crisis in Massachusetts » Boston Globe

Natick adopts rules similar to other Massachusetts sanctuary cities on same week as Iranian killer drone arrest » Boston Herald

New policy protects undocumented immigrants, some Natick residents say » WCVB

Beverly legislator approved for district court judgeship » Boston Globe

Council Wraps 2024 With Five Confirmations, Including Parisella » State House News Service

2024 in Politics: Courtroom drama » Boston Globe

In the Massachusetts Legislature, it pays to be in leadership: Six takeaways from our ‘State Secrets’ series » Boston Globe

Lombardo Challenging Jones For House GOP Leader » State House News Service

Massachusetts lawmakers are paid to be full-time legislators. So why do so many have second jobs and side hustles? » Boston Globe

Indicted Boston City Councilor case evidence includes database of 1M+ files, feds say » Boston Herald

Editorial: White Stadium plan becoming white elephant as costs soar » Boston Herald

Tisbury voters approve library funding, decry poor building maintenance » Martha's Vineyard Times

Passing the torch from the old guard to a new set of heroes and heroines » Bay State Banner

'Worst year for pertussis in Barnstable County in a decade.' What you need to know. » Cape Cod Times

US Justice Department sues CVS, alleging corporate practices allowed unlawful opioid prescriptions » Boston Globe

U.S. Rep. Auchincloss joins Republican colleagues in bringing fentanyl fight to China » Boston Herald

'Huge step forward' in fight to curb fatal ODs » Berkshire Eagle

Bird flu update: California declares emergency and U.S. sees 1st severe human case » WBUR

Drones: The truth is out there » Boston Globe

Deadly year: 16 homicides in Worcester in 2024 is the most in decades » Worcester Telegram

When will the US abolish the death penalty? » Boston Globe

At packed City Council meeting, a divided response to Justice Department report on PD » Worcester Telegram

Snider: Americans ready for shift back to justice & safety » Boston Herald

Trump unlikely to pursue consent decree in Worcester, former DOJ officials say » Worcester Telegram

After federal investigation found Worcester police had sex with suspected prostitutes, calls for police reform grow » Boston Globe

‘You feel like you’re at war with an enemy you can’t see.’ As porch pirate thefts mount, residents feel besieged. » Boston Globe

Project 351 alum brings more than 800 pounds of food to Merrimack Valley Food Bank » Lowell Sun

Former police chief in Warwick, R.I., tapped for Mass. police training post » Boston Globe

Massachusetts state senator proposes legislation to regulate drones » CBS News

Gloucester, not Charlestown, standing in for ‘Bunker Hill’ 250th reenactment » Boston Globe

State Sen. Nick Collins on his decision to help kill Wu's tax shift plan » WBUR

On Enchanted Trolley tour, Santa, helpers deliver holiday cheer to Codman Square » Dorchester Reporter

The Green Line is losing some stops in Brookline » Boston.com

Opposition stalls plans for waterfront energy center » The New Bedford Light

SB2981 - An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Jonathan Turner, an employee of the Norfolk Country sheriff's office

HB4592 - An Act directing the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Paul O'Brien

ADL Commends Congress for Prioritizing Investigation into Antisemitism » Anti-Defamation League

Senators Markey and Paul Urge President Biden to Extend TikTok Divestment Deadline » Office of Sen. Ed Markey

STATEMENT: Biden admin drafting a rushed, flawed plan to fast track data centers and power plants for AI » Environment Mass.

Aquarium to host outdoor ice sculpture of sea turtles for Boston Waterfront Ice Sculpture Stroll on New Year’s Eve » New England Aquarium

Countdown to ARPA obligation deadline » Mass. Municipal Association

Warren Urges Wellpath to Commit to Fair Payouts and Fair Notice for Incarcerated Patients During Bankruptcy Process » Office of Sen. Elizabeth Warren

TechNet Study Reveals Valuable Role of E-Commerce Marketplaces in Supporting Small Businesses » TechNet

It’s Time to Get in Formation! contributed by Farah Jeune, MIRA’s Communications Specialist » MIRA Coalition

Governor Healey Announces Massachusetts AI Hub to Make State Global Leader in Applied AI Innovation » MA Executive Office of Economic Development

Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates $2.5 Million Through Community One Stop for Growth » MA Executive Office of Economic Development